Remember that customer who stormed out of your business in a fit of rage last month?

Do you remember the customer promising to tell everyone about the bad experience?

Years ago, you might have worried that the customer would tell friends, family and coworkers about the experience.

But now, that same customer could conceivably tell his or her side of the story to millions within minutes of walking out your door – thanks to social media and the Internet.

It’s a scary scenario, but experts say it’s a reality that businesses have to face in the digital age.

As you read this, someone could be blasting your business or your CEO on Twitter, Facebook or a blog. When that happens, what should you do?

As a social media strategist at Cayenne Creative, Jason Hill said companies should be prepared for someone to talk bad about their business.

“You can count on someone saying something bad,” Hill said. “It’s all about how will you respond to it.”

A recent survey by New York-based public relations firm Weber Shandwick suggests businesses would be wise to listen to that advice.

According to the survey, 34 percent of global chief corporate communications officers say their firm has experienced a social media-based threat to the firm’s reputation during the past year.

But 33 percent of those surveyed said they’re not prepared to deal with such threats. And those threats are going out to a much larger audience, said Kris Schindler, of marketing firm Start Thinking LLC in Wichita, Kan.

“The impact of a consumer having a bad experience with a brand is nearly twice as harmful as it was just three years ago,” she said. “This isn’t because more customers are dissatisfied, but because they have a significantly larger audience to listen to their complaints.”

But the first step to managing an online reputation is always the hardest, said Cayenne Creative’s Hill, and that’s getting online and managing an online reputation.

“If you’re unfamiliar with it, then take a passive role,” he suggested. “Go ahead and sign up for a Facebook page and get a Twitter account. Jump in, get your feet wet, then you can move actively.”

Then, plan out different scenarios of how the company will respond to negative reviews, he said.

“The importance of responding immediately shows you have a plan and that you understand customer reviews,” he said.

An immediate response also cuts down on any back-and-forth the company would have with the customer, which can turn disastrous, said David Gibson, president of web marketing firm Zeekee Interactive.

“Anybody can have a voice and one unhappy customer can put you out online,” said Gibson. “Online provides a lot of venting for people.”

But it’s hard to respond if companies don’t know what’s being said.

“The challenge is monitoring where people hang out that would say something about your business,” he said. “Just be aware of what’s going on.”

In addition to software that can be purchased, the social media strategists advise a company to use Google Alerts, through which it can receive an e-mail when certain keywords — like your business’ name or your CEO’s name — are found through a Google search.

For businesses who have a Twitter account, another basic tool is to check for “mentions” — when someone else on Twitter talks about you using your Twitter name.